Cockpit coaming riser

Over the past couple of days I have gotten the cockpit coaming riser installed. I am making it out of two layers of 6mm plywood instead if the designed 4mm. My reason is so that I have a thick enough rim to install some screw-in snap studs, so I need the rim to be at least 3/8" thick. The snap studs are for the cockpit skirt I am planning on making. One of the Watertribe rules for semi-open boats is substantial decking (which the XCR already has) and a full skirt based on the one described in chapter 7 of Cliff Jacobson's book "Expedition Canoeing." Anyway, both sides of the riser are installed now, tomorrow it will be filleted and taped.

Cockpit coaming begun...

Last night I went to work on the coaming riser clamp with a hand plane. The coaming riser should be vertical, so there needs to be a rolling bevel cut into the riser clamp. Working with the plane is always fun, I love making nice wood spirals. Especially cedar ones, since they smell so good :)

After a while however, I decided to switch over to the belt sander with a 50 grit belt which made very quick work of finishing things off. Then the boat went back inside (it was outside so I didn't cover the garage in sanding dust) where I started on the coaming riser itself. I cut some 6" wide "strips" of 1/4" plywood and clamped them with the bottom edge of the plywood just below the bottom edge of the riser clamp. Since the riser is intended to be 2 1/2" tall, I used a pencil and a block of wood to scribe a line exactly 2 1/2" above the deck all around. Tonight I plan to start cutting and gluing.

Some outdoor pictures

Forward Quarter:

Rear Quarter:

Interior (port cockpit riser clamp not yet installed):

Progress on the Deck

Over the past couple of days, I have made some progress on the deck. First, I got the deck panels tacked all around. The next day, after everything had hardened, I turned the boat on its side again to make working under the deck a little easier. In one marathon evening, I put in a major structural fillet between the sheer clamp and deck, I filleted and taped the underside of the deck / deck triangle joint, and epoxied on the cockpit riser clamp. Tonight, I get to do the same thing on the other side. Here is a pic:

Pictures of the stitched deck

Started on the deck

Today I got a start on the deck of the XCR. I drilled stitch holes diagonally through the gunwales and matching ones through the deck panels. I started wiring in the middle and worked my way towards the ends. For now, I left the ends un-wired; I will glue them down directly to the gunwales and backing blocks with I apply the epoxy tacking to the rest of the deck. I cut out the fore and aft deck triangles and have them temporarily clamped in place. Tacking is next!

Progress on bulkheads

First off, here is a picture of one of the kevlar taped frames:

Tonight I worked on the bulkheads. Over the past couple evenings, I fiberglassed both sides of the bow and stern bulkheads. Tonight, I cut big holes in them for the hatches I am installing in each of them. For now, I just glued the hatches in and will add some stainless screws when I get some. With the hatches glued, I wired the bulkheads into the main hull and tacked them in with some thickened epoxy. Here is a pic:

And finally, I cut out some backing blocks that will install under the deck ridge between the bow and the forward bulkhead. These will support the deck, as well as provide a strong attachment point for a carrying handle. This is repeated at the stern...